Fastener-attaching machine



A. LATHAM FASTENER ATTACHING MACHINE Aug. 19 1924.

Filed Oct. 15 1920 9 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 19, 1924. 1,505,152

A. LATHAM FASTENER ATTACHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 15 1920 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 4 5 lllll 1 m w 5 h 0 2, Kw s M 1 m mu m 0 2 mm m G. AN Hm TC M m .u ARM n E T M n F r //\1 VEN TOR A. LATHAM FASTENER ATTACHING momma Filed Oct. 15 1920 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 19, 1924. 1,505,152

A. LATHAM FASTENER ATTACHING MACHINE Filegi Oct. 15 192 0 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fig. 6.

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A. LATHAM FASTENER ATTACHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 15. 1920 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Aug. 19, 1924. 1,505,152 LATHAM FASTENER ATTACHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 15. 1920 9 Shets-Sheet a //VVE/V TOR Ill Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT LATHAM, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN BUTTON & FASTENER 00., 0F AUGUSTA, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FASTENEB-ATTAGHING MACHINE.

Application filed October 15, 1920. Serial No. 417,128.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT LATHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Fastener-Attaching Machines, of which the following description,

in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts pers of shoes, by means of staples, or similar attaching devices.

In machines of this character, the usual practic has been to take the fasteners from some such source of supply as a hopper, and feed them to the upper extremity of a race-way, down which they travel in a series by gravity, sometimes aided by agitating or pushing instrumentalities, to the at taching mechanism. With this arrangement it is diflicult to prevent the fasteners from clogging in the race-way, so that their delivery ceases, compelling the operator to stop work and clear th raceway. Delays froin this cause furnish a serious objectionv to the employment of the race-way type of machine. An object of this invention is to eliminate the gravity feed, by delivering the fasteners, without interposeddevices, from the source of supply to the attaching means, This I accomplish by a holder movable to deliver the fasteners directly into the path of the attaching member, from which holder they are separated to receive the action of the attaching member. As illustrated the holder consists of a flexible strip, upon which the fasteners, as buttons with their associated staples, are mounted in spaced relation. Whatever may be the character of the supplying means, I prefer to have it deliver to such a presenting means as a guide-way, arranged to hold the fasteners one at a time for co-operation with the attaching means, which may in clude a driving member movable in the guide-way. I

Another ob ect of the invention is to facilitate the separation of the fasteners from their supplying means, or holder, for engagement by the attaching means. For

this purpose the supplying means not only moves toward the attaching means to present the fasteners thereto, but also moves in the opposite direction to separate the supplying means from the fasteners. I have shown a support, over which a holderstrip is moved to successively supply the fasteners to the attaching means, together with means for moving the support to effect the separation of the strip from the fasteners. This manner of delivery is of utility in addition to accomplishing the separation,'in that when the holder-strip is of such material as paper, the movement of withdrawal of the holder from the attach ing means carries any shreds of paper which may be produced in the removal of the fasteners away from the attaching means and its guide-way, thus preventing any tendency to accumulate therein and clog. In the movement of withdrawal just described, the separation of the holder and fastener is made more positive by temporarily securing the holder against movement upon the support, so that the taking off of slack in the holder will not nullify the separating action.

To insure the retention of the fasteners in co-operation with their guide-way, to be acted upon by the attaching means after their delivery by the supplying means, I provide means, co-operating with the guideway, to separate said fasteners from the supplying means during its movement from said guide-way. This preferably takes the form. of means for retaining the fasteners in the guide-way during the withdrawal of the supplying means, and is shown as consisting of member movable at each side of the guide-way. These members furnish a guide way extension, which will assume a position allowing the free presentation of the fasteners to the attaching means, and thereafter a position preventing displacement of said fasteners in their separation from the holder. This last or active position of the guide-way extension also locates the fasteners to the best advantage to receive the action of the attaching means.

A further object of the invention is to furnish eiiicient means for intermittently feeding the work to which the fastener is to be attached. In the accomplishment of this object, I interpose between rotatablebe brought about by the operator, to completely stop the feed, instead of merely making it intermittent.

I also provide, as an additional object of the invention, effective means for feeding to the attaching means the work portions to which the fasteners are to be attached. This feeding means consists of novel means arranged to grasp the work at opposite sides, as by an upper abutment and lower jaw, which are closed and opened to engage and disengage the work, and then have imparted to them a movement of translation to advance the work to the attaching means. Preferably, there is a support upon which the engaging members are carried, this support being given a compound movement, as of oscillation and reciprocation, to actuate the work-engaging members. Against a component of this movement, asthe oscillation, one of the members is preferably held, while being free to share in the other movement. To permit the amount of the feed to be controlled, I have illustrated means arranged to vary the extent of reciprocation of the support.

As my improved machine performs its cycle of operations, certain of these which occur in-a series of such cycles should differ from the others. That is, since the feed ofthe the work precedes the attaching operation, the initial cycle should omit the feed, to permit the attachment of the first fastener of a series to take place at the point chosen by the operator. VVith this condition in View, an object of the invention is to allow the operator to exercise control over operations performed in certain cycles. To this end, I have combined with means which produces cycles including a feeding operation, means arranged to alter the feeding portion-of acycle, while leaving other cycles of the series undisturbed. This last-mentioned means preferably includes operator-controlled means for changcertain of the cycles, for example omitting the feeding operation from the first, and automatic means for restoring the machine to its normal operation. This automatic control is performed by an operating element of the machine, and nullifies the controlling action which has been initiated by the operator. Thus, the first cycle may include the step of attaching a fastener without feeding, and thereafter the machine will take up its normal action of advancing the work and attaching the fasteners thereto at regular intervals. At the same time that this control occurs, 1. may also change the relation of the work-engaging members, as the jaws which grasp it to accomplish its feed, or the anvil upon which it is clamped for the attaching operation, to facilitate the introduction of the work for the operations upon it. For example, in stopping the workfeeding movement, I. may also open the jaws, or separate the clamping members, or both.

Still another object of the invention involves the uniform positioning of the fasteners as they are secured at regular intervals upon their holder :n'ior to delivery to the attaching means. This is of es 'ieeial utility in facilitating the entrance of the fasteners to the guide-way, and to prepare for the proper engagement of the retaining means with them. As I prefer to arrange the fasteners upon the holder, they are tiltably mounted, so they may assume different angles thereon. To bring the fasteners into uniform relation to the holder and to the co-operating elements, there acts upon them, prior to their delivery to the attaching means, means for tilting them in one direction. This means, as illustrated, acts in the advance of the holder, and may consist of a toothed member engaging portions of the fasteners, as the button eyes.

Other features of the invention are developed in the following description, which is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a top plan view of one form which m improved attaching llllU'll lllQ' may assume;

Fig. 9., a front elevation thereof, parts being broken away Fig. 3, a rear elevation;

Fig. 4, a broken side elevation looking from the right in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5, a. similar view taken from the opposite side of the machine;

Fig. 6, a full horizontal section on the line 66 of Fi 2;

Fig. 7, a partial vertical section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 a broken detail, looking from above, of the work-engaging jaws and their actuating mechanism;

Fig. 9, a sectional detail on the line 9-9 of Fig. L;

Fig. 10, a top plan view of the forward extremity of the feeding mechanism for the holder-strip Fig. 11, a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 12, a vertical, sectional detail on the line 12--12 of Fig. 9;

Figs. 13, 14c, 15, 16 and 1.7, sectional details taken, respectively, on the lines 1313, Fig. 9; 14-14, Fig. 2; 15-15, Fig. 2; 1616, Fig. 2; and 1717, Fig. 4;

Figs. 18 and 19, vertical, sectional details, enlarged, on the line 1818 of Fig. 2, showing the button feeding and detaching mechanism in succeeding positions;

Fig. 20, a perspective view of the driver head and button-retaining shutters;

Fig. 21, a vertical, sectional detail taken in the same plane as Figs. 18 and 19 and illustrating the position of the elements during the set-ting of the staple;

Fig. 22, a perspective view of the holderstrip with the buttons and staples mounted thereon;

Fig. 23, a View in perspective of a portion of the feeding mechanism for the holder-strip, with the cover of the casing removed Fig. 24, a top plan view of the feeding mechanism, casing and contained parts without the cover; and

Fig. 25, a perspective showing the auxiliary controlling means for the anvil, workengaging jaws and the feeding mechanism for the latter.

The operating elements of the machine are mounted upon a base 10 having extending from its top in a generally horizontal direction an overhanging arm 12, these together furnishing the main frame of the machine. Pivoted upon this arm at 14, and normally extending vertically or atright angles to the arm and resting against the end of this, is a head 16, secured in position by a latch 18, as is best illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. This latch is mounted to slide in the frame, being forced into cooperation with a recess near the lower portion of the head by a spring 20. To provide. for the ready actuation. of the latch to free the head, a pinion is carried upon a horizontal spindle 24E rotatable in the frame and meshes with a rack 26 upon the latch. The spindle may be turned by a finger-piece 28 upon its end. to release the head and permit it to be swung upwardly about its pivot. This movement frees the immediately adjacent portions of the machine for inspection or removal. The lower end 30 of the head, which is preferably somewhat tapered downwardly, serves an abutment between which and an opposite anvil 82 work is clamped during the attaching operation.

Movable in vertical ways at the front of the head 16 is a slide 34, having fixed upon it a driver-bar 36, the lower end of which at 38 (Fig. 2) is formed to engage the upper extremity of a staple or other securing device to press it through the work toward the anvil. This bar acts in co-operation with an opposite clinching block 40 (Fig. 20) fixed upon the upper face of the anvil, which may be of any suitable form to deflect the points of the staples toward one another to effect the clinching. The slide 34: has an opening to receive the rounded end of an operating lever 42, fulcrumed at 44 upon the frame arm 12. The opposite extremity of the lever is joined by a universal joint 46 to a connecting rod, comprising inner and outer telescoping sections 48 and 50, respectively; see Fig. 5. The latter section has fixed upon its lower extremity a cross-head 52 provided with horizontal ways, in which moves a block 5 1. Through the block is an opening to receive a crank-pin 56 projecting from the face of a disk 58 secured to the end of a main driving shaft 60 ournaled horizontally near the lower portion of the base. At the opposite extremity of the shaft from the crank-disk is a pulley 62 (Fig. 6), normally free to rotate upon the shaft, and belted to some source of power. Clutch elements 64 and 66 are secured to the pulley and shaft, respectively, and may be controlled to pro duce the rotation of the shaft with the pul ley by a vertical rod. 68 (Fig. 4) joined to a treadle or other device for control by the operator, which controlling element is not shown. A spring 70 surrounding the rod 68 between the base and the upper enlarged end of the rod exerts its expansive force to hold said rod normally upward, with the clutch elements out of engagement. The clutch is preferably of a type which continues to produce its driving-effect as long as the rod 68 is held down, the machine thus being maintained in action until the rod is released. The driver bar 36 is therefore successively moved up and down by the travel of the carrier block 34 in its ways into and out of co-operation with the anvil. To produce the correct timing of the driver bar with reference to the other elements of the machine, it is desirable that there should be a certain amount of lost motion, it resting at its highest point while the rotation of the cranlcdisk continues. To permit this, there is included between the sections 48 and 50 of the connecting rod a spring 72, one end of which rests upon a head 7% at the lower end of the first-mentioned section. this head having extensions 7 6 guided in slots in the section 50, while the upper portion of the spring abuts against a bushing 78 screwed into the top of the rod section 50. When the cranlrpin rises, carrying up the connecting rod, downward movement of the driver bar may be produced by contact of opposite surfaces 80 upon the two connecting rod sections. Upon downward movement of the crank-pin, the driver bar is raised by movement comn'iunicated from one rod section to the other through. the spring, the latter being compressed when the upward limit of driver bar travel is reached, this yield allowing the continued revolution of the crank-pin.

The anvil 32 is arranged for movement from a position spaced from the clamping end 30 of the head, at which time the work may be inserted, toward the head to press the work against it and to receive the setting pressure of the bar 36. For this purpose, the anvil is fixed to what may be termed a primary slide 82 (Figs. 4, (3 and 7) movable in vertical. ways in the frame, this slide 8:2 also having vertical ways in which may travel a secondary slide 84. The attachment of the anvil to the slide 82 is preferably by some such. readily separable means as a screw 85 and a retaining pin 87. So organized, the anvil may easily be removed by the operator, and one of another form substituted to better accommodate work of different character. Between the slides is inserted a spring 86, acting through a plunger 88 and tending to hold said slides at their maximum separation, yetpermitting the primary slide to yield when the anvil is movedagainst the work, indicated at W, and to accommodate itself to varying thicknesses of such work. Against the lower portion of the secondary slide 84 bears the rounded end of a lever 92 ful'crumed upon a spindle 94: turning in the frame. A link 96 is articulated to the lever 92, and is oined through a slot-and-pin connection 97 to a. lever 98having a fulcrum-spindle 100 turning in the frame, and being provided at its end opposite the link connection with roll 102 operating in a cam path 10 1 of a disk 106 fixed to the driving shaft (50. The cam path, which, witli the associated cam paths, is indicated in Fig. 7 by its center line onlv, is so designed that the anvil is normally separated from the abutment end 30 of the head. During approximately the first degrees of rotation of the shaft 60, the anvil rests, and then during the succeeding 30 degrees, it is brought up into contact with the applied. work to clamp it for the setting operation. In the succeeding 230 degrees of rotation of the driving shaft, the anvil remains closed. and thereafter for the succeeding 10 degrees, which brings the elements back to normal, it is lowered to separate it from the abutment. This action of the cam, and other cam efiects hereinafter described, must be considered to be merely approximate statements of what may occur,

' since the timing may be varied to suit the requirements of the actuated mechanisms or the peculiar conditions existing. Surrounding the fulcrum-spindle 94: of the lever 92 and connected at one end to said lever and at the opposite end to a flange at the end ing device 112. This fixes the sleeve in the angular position to which it may be turned by a hexagonal portion 113 upon its end. The etl'ect of this spring is to urge the anvil upwardly toward the abutment 30, and to counterbalance said anvil and its associated movable elements, thus reducing the friction and strain upon the cam path and connect ing lever.

To lock the slide 82 for the setting operat-ion after it has been forced up by the lever 92 to bring the anvil into clamping engagement with the work W, it is provided at its lower end with a contact surface 114- (Fig. 7), with which cooperates a wedge 116 mounted to slide upon a horizontal surface at the bottom of the base. The inclination of the face of the wedge engaging the surface 114, which is correspondingly inclined. is such that the force exerted upon the wedge is mainly downward. the horizontal component tending to I'H'Odl'lce displacement laterally being relatively' small. The wedge is thrust forward toward the surface 114 of the anvil slide by a spring 118 surrounding a rod 119 projecting from the rear of the wedge, and located between the rear face of said wedge and a ('Olhll 12H attached to the frame. To draw the wedge away from the anvil slide to permit the latter to be lowered. a lever 122 is mounted to turn loosely upon a rotatable spindle 12+ journaled horizontally in the frame. the lever engaging with its lower rounded extremity a head 123 upon the rear end of the rod 119. Rotatable upon the lever 122 is a roll 126 entering a cam path 128 in a disk 130 fixed to the driving shaft (it). At. the beginning of the operation, the cam. 128 acting through the lever 122 holds the wedge 116 back against the tension of the spring 118, leaving the anvil slide free to be lowered by the lever 92. In this position it remains for the first 60 degrees of rotation of the driving shaft. During the next 30 degrees. the lever 122 moves away from the head 13, so that the spring 118 is permitted to carry the wedge beneath the snr face 114 of the slide 81, looking this in place to receive the setting pressurdof the driver bar 36. Following this, the cam mechanism dwells for 230 degrees of rotation, and then for 30 degrees acts to draw the wedge away from the anvil slide, releasing it for depression. In this relation it remains for the last 10 degrees of rotation of the driving shaft, this bringing the parts back to normal.

To advance the work W over the anvil in steps of the proper len th to space the attached buttons or other Fastening devices B the desired distance from one another, feeding mechanism is provided, which will now be described. At the rear of the anvil is journaled, both for rotation and travel axially, a shaft 132 (Figs. 5, 7, 8 and 17), upon which is secured alower work-gripping jaw 134. Projecting from each side of the jaw 134 about the shaft is a hub 136, upon which hub is mounted an upper jaw or abutment 138 constructed in opposite sections. The jaw 138 is supported upon a flange 140 projecting from the lower rear portion of the head, the jaw having a corresponding flange overhanging this, and between the upper face of the jaw and the lower extremity of the head is a ball or other anti.friction device 142, located in a depression in the jaw and acting to take upward thrust against it, so that it may travel easily along the head. Secured upon the shaft 132 is an arm 144, and mounted to turn and move longitudinally on this arm is a generally cylindrical block 146 movable in a horizontally extending guide-way 148, curved in section to conform to the block. The guide-way is mounted upon an arm of a lever 150 fulcrumed at 152 upon the frame, and united by a link 154 to an arm 156 fixed upon the spindle 124. The spindle also has fast upon it an arm 158 provided with a roll 160 projecting into a cam-groove 162 in the disk 106, rotatable with the shaft 60. The link is made yieldable in both directions in its action upon the jaw 134 by making it in sections, one of which consists of a casing 164 pivoted upon the lever 150, and the other having a head 166 working within. the casing. This casing is closed at both ends, and between the head and casing ends are springs 168, 168, one of which may be comn'essed to bring about a yielding engagement of the aw 134 with the companion jaw 138, and the other of which provides for a movement of the jaw 134, in a manner to be later described, without interfering with the cam connections. To consider the action of the cam-groove 162 upon the movable aw, the beginning of the cycle finds it closed against the associated jaw, this condition obtaining from. the resting position of the machine through 90 degrees. Then during degrees of rotation of the shaft the aw is opened and so remains during the succeeding degrees. For 20 degrees thereafter the jaw closes, this continuing through the remainder of the cycle.

The shaft 132 carrying the work-engag ing jaws is movable longitudinally in the appropriate direction to cause the feed of the work from one button-attaching position to another. To this end, referring particu larly to Figs. 4 and 8, it has an opening in a swiveled portion 169, into which projects the rounded end. of an arm 170 forming a part of a lever 17 2 fulcrumed about a vertical spindle 174, which is mounted to rotate in the frame. The lever 17 2 is cut out along its axis to receive a screw 178 mounted to turn in it atone en and connected by bevel gearing 180 to a spindle 17 5 journaled in a post 17 6 rising from the lever 172 in axial alinement with the spindle 174. Upon the upper end of this spindle 175 is secured a hand wheel 182, the rotation of which through the spindle and gearing turns thescrew 178. A. latch 184 carried upon the post 176 may engage any one of an annular series of notches in the undersurface of the wheel 182 to lock the parts in the position to which they may beadjusted. Arranged to travel upon the upper face of the lever 172 is a carriage 186, having threaded engagement with the screw 178 and provided with a depending stud 187, upon which a block 188 is mounted to turn. This block is movable in a guide-way extending longitudinally ofa lever 190 fulcrumed. at 192 upon the frame of the machine, and carrying a roll 194 entering a cam path 196 in the periphery of a cylinder 198. The cam cylinder surrounds a sleeve 200 (Figs. 2 and 6) extending horizontally in the frame, and is rotated from the shaft 60 by a gear 202 mounted adjacent to one end of the cylinder, this meshing with an idler gear 204 rotatable upon the frame, and this idler in. turn co-operating with a gear 206 fixed upon the element 66 of the clutch. lVithin the sleeve 200 is a tubular shaft 208 carrying upon its flanged end the gear 202, and extending axially of the bore of the shaft 208 is a spindle 210. One end of the spindle has projecting from it a flange 212, carrying a pin 214 at its inner face, this pin passing through alined openings in the flange of the shaft 208 and in the cam cylinder 198. Normally, the cam cylinder and the shaft 208 are caused to rotate together through the engagement of the pin 214, which may, however, be withdrawn from the cylinder by movement of the spindle 21.0 along its The means for accomplishing this will be herinafter disclosed. It will be seen that the rotation of the cam cylinder 198 will oscillate the lever 190, this being communicated through said lever and the block 188 to the lever 17 2, this latter, by its arm 170, causing the longitudinal travel of the shaft 132 and the movement together of the work-engaging jaws 134 and 138. Consequently, when these are closed upon the work, the latter will be fed over the anvil to an extent determined by the adjustment of the block 188 along the screw 178, since this adjustment determines the angular movement imparted by the lever 190. Since the block 146 is free to travel along its guide-way 148, the mechanism which effects the opening and closing of the jaws is not interfered with. The feed starts at the beginning of the cycle of the machine, the jaws then being closed, and proceeds for degrees of rotation of the shaft 60. A period of rest for 40 degrees follows, and

for the next 65 degrees the jaws are moved back, they at this time being open. Here they rest for 190 degrees. If it is desired to use the machine without imparting an automatic feed to the work, the shaft 132, with-the work-grasping jaws 134 and 138 and the actuating arm 144, may readily be removed as a unit, without change of associated elements or interference with their functions.

The work is located between the jaws with its edge the correct distance from the anvil to receive the row of buttons, by a gage 205 (Fig. 8) carried upon the jaw 138 by means of an upward extension lying between the jaw sections. A screw 209, movable in a slot 211 extending horizontally of the jaw and passing through opposite clamping plates 207, 207, permits the gage to be fixed at the appropriate distance from the anvil. The edge of the work contacts with a vertical guiding face 213 of the gage, against which it is placed by the operator when he introduces said work between the anvil and abutment.

Rising from the abutment end 30 of the head 16 is a short, vertical guide-way 215, to which the buttons B and their staples S, or other attaching devices for securing them to the work, are delivered for co-operation with the driver bar 36 in the setting operation. This guide-way (Figs. 2, 17 and 20) includes a central, longitudinal groove 217 to receive the button eye, and at each side of this there is a curved surface 219, conforming generally to the curvature of the under side of the head of the button. With in the guide-way, at the inner side of each surface 219, is a staple-receiving groove 216. To this guide-way the buttons and staples are supplied from a holder, preferably consisting of a strip or ribbon B (Fig. 22) of some such flexible material as paper. Upon this holder-strip the buttons and staples are equally spaced, the button eyes 5 passing through longitudinal slits, while the staples are threaded through the eyes of respective buttons and inserted in transverse corrugations 1' across the strip. The holder and arrangement of fasteners thereon may be as disclosed in the application filed in my name September 29, 1919, bearing the serial number 327,176. The strip with the mount ed buttons may be carried in a coil at the rear of the machine upon a convenient reel, not shown. From the reel the strip passes to a support 220 extending from the rear to the front of the machine and fixed upon a slide 222 which moves horizontally in ways in the frame. As best illustrated in Fig 3 of the drawings, the support has a longitudinal guide-way 224, similar in crosssection to the guide-way 215, the edges of the holder-strip traveling in its lateral grooves. At the forward end, the support 220 is continued by a portion of the slide 222, in which is arranged holderedvancin r mechanism. This includes, at the outer cm of the slide and in proximity to the top of the guide-way 224, a. toothed feed-roll 228 (Figs. 4, 18 and 19) joul'naled in the slide and having a central, annular groove 230 (Fig. 9) to admit the button eyes. Below the roll 228 is a co-operating toothed feedroll 232, at the rear of which is a toothed idler roll 234 meshing with the roll 232 and with a succeeding fecd-roll 236. The latter is in turn connected by an idler 238 with a toothed feed-roll 240. Upper feed-rolls 242 and 244 co-operate with the rolls 236 and 240, respectively. All these feed-rolls and the idler rolls are journaled horizontally in the slide, similarly to the forward roll 228. The upper roll 242 is grooved at its center. in the same manner as the roll 228. The holder-strip R, after leaving the su port, is carried over the outside of the rol 228, then rearwardly between this and its cooperating roll 232, and then on between the pairs of rolls 236, 242 and 240, 244, and is delivered to an apron 229 hinged at 231 upon the slide to move therewith.

The rolls are rotated to advance the holder-strip step by step to bring the pairs of buttons and staples successively into posi tion at the top of the guide-way 215, as is illustrated at X in Fig. 18, for cooperation with the driver bar, by power applied to the roll 240. This carries upon its spindle a spiral gear 246 (Fig. 13), meshing with a spiral gear 248 (Fig. 9) upon a. shaft. section 250 journaled in a bracket upon the slide 222 and splined for longitudinal movement in a tubular shaft 252 rotatable in the frame. This telescopic joint. is to maintain the driving connection without inter-- ference with the movement of the slide. Secured upon the shaft section 252 is a spiral pinion 254 in engagement with a spiral gear 256 mounted to rotate in a casing 2558 (Figs. 2, 23 and 24) having a. depending tubular portion 259, by which it is mounted upon the frame. Rotatable in the. depending portion of the casing is a tubular hub 260 of the gear 256, and journaled within this is a vertical shaft 262 provided with a head 264 located within a cylindrical recess at the top of the gear. Fast upon the lower end of the shaft 262 is a spiral gear 266 meshing with a spiral gear 268 upon the tubular shaft 208. It will be observed that there is provided a driving train from the shaft 60 through the gears 206, 204, 202, 268, 266, 256, 254, 248 and 246 to the feedroll 240, and from this roll through the idlers and associated toothed rolls to the entire feed train carried at the forward extremity of the slide 222. Therefore, when this gearing is in action, the holder-strip will be advanced by the engagement of the teeth of the rolls with it, in steps determined by the time during which the gearing is effective.

Upon the inner cylindrical wall of the recess in the gear 256 is formed a ratchetwheel 270 (Figs. 23 and 2 1), with which co-operate teeth 272 upon one end of ablock 27 1 arranged to slide in a groove extending transversely of the head 26 i. A spring 27 6 (Fig. 2), situated in a recess in the block and abutting at its extremities against an end of the recess and a pin 278 passing from the head through a slot in the block, exerts its force to press the teeth of the block toward those of the ratchet-wheel. Rotatable about a vertical stud rising from the block 274 adjacent to the teeth 272 is a roll 280 for engagement with an arcuate cam surface 282 formed partly upon a ring 284 secured to the inside of the casing near its top, and partly upon a boss 286 depending from a circular plate 287 mounted upon a cover 288 for the casing 258. This cam surface, when the roll 280 is in contact with it, holds the teeth of the block 274 out of engagement with the teeth 272 upon the gear 256, so that the driving train is interrupted at this point, and no rotation is communicated to the feed-rolls. When, however, the roll passes off an end 296 of the cam surface and until it reaches the adjacent end, the ratchet-teeth are in engagement, and the driving effect of the train is unbroken, so that the feed-rolls are in operation to advance the holder-strip. To vary the extent of rotation of the rolls, and consequently the amount which the strip is fed, the sections of the cam ring are relatively adjustable to vary the space between its ends. This may be effected by an arm 290 fixed upon a hub rising from the plate 287 and having spring-detent 292 to enter any one of a series of openings 294- formed in the cover 288. The operator may, by raising the detent, rotate the plate 287 so that the cam sections 284 and 286 overlap to a greater or less extent, and may fix these in the chosen position by the engagement of the detent with the appropriate one of the open ings. To enable the operator to completely stop the feed of the holder-strip while the other elements of the machine are still operating, there extends through the hub of the arm 290 aspindle 298, at the upper end of which is fastened a finger-piece 300. At the lower extremity of the spindle 298 issecured a cam 302, which is situated just above the upper face of the block 274:. Adjacent to the cam and formed with or attached to the block is an upward transverse projection 304. During the normal operation of the machine, the position of the cam 302 is such that it does not come in contact with the projection 304, the portion of the cam of smallest diameter beingtow'ard the pro upper side of the arm 290 and engaging one of two opposite recesses in a disk 05 fixed upon the spindle 298 beneath the finger-piece 300.

hen the button and staple have been positioned by the feed-rolls over the guideway 215, the supporting slide 222 is in its extreme forward position, as is illustrated in Fig. 18 of the drawings, and, as the driver bar starts in its descent, this button and staple are caught and held for release from the strip, in preparation for entry into the guide-way, by retaining members or shutters 306, 306 (Figs. 2 and 20). These shutters include arms pivoted at 308 near the forward upper face of the head, and have at their lower extremities enlargements 310. The form of these enlargements is such that they may furnish an upward extension of the guide-way 215, there being co-operating curved surfaces 312 formed upon an are having the axis of the .pivot 308 as a center, so that there may be no break in the continuity of the guide-way and its continuation as furnished by the shutters'when the latter are moved into their retaining position. The shutters are held normally open, leaving between them a space into which the forward button upon the holder-strip may be introduced by the feed-rolls, it being arrested in its advance in the position shown at X in Fig. 18. At this time the shutters are separated from one another by a projection 314; from the front of the driver bar slide 34, this projection coming between opposite surfaces 316, 316 upon the adjacent edges of the shutters. These surfaces are so spaced from one another and the projection is of such a width that the portions 310 of the shutters are maintained in the proper positions. The shutters are allowed to be drawn together by a tension-spring 318 connecting them, when, by the movement of the slide 3%, the projection is carried between more widely separated edges 320, 320 of the shutters. When this occurs, the elements assume the relation illustrated in Fig. 19, the forward button appearing as shown at LU, with the axis of the head in a horizontal position and the button positively held against rearward movement by the contact of the under side of its head with the vertical surfaces of the guide-way extending portions of the shutters, which also separate said head from its staple.

In approaching the delivery point, the

buttons may be tilted upon the strip with either the forward or rear edges of the heads resting upon it. Such an arrangement might interfere with the proper presentation of the buttons for seizure by the shutters. I prefer, therefore, to have all the buttons inclined in a forward direction, and, to bring this about, the eyes Z) in their travel, contact with a positioning member, which, as here disclosed, consists of a toothed bar 319 resting in the grooves 230 of the feedrolls 228 and 24-2 and upon a cross-bar 321 of the slide. The teeth of the bar are, upon its upper edge, inclined rearwardly, so that as the buttons travel over it, the eyes are drawn along the points of the teeth. This tilts any buttons which may be inclined to the rear in the opposite direction, so they are positioned as the two forward buttons over the bar are shown in Figs. 18 and 19. The tilting contact with the teeth continues until the forward button is in place over the guide-way 215, the serrated surface being extended over a downward projection 323 of the bar. I

lNith the button held against inward movement by the shutters 306, 306 as above described, the strip R is positively separated from the button and from its staple as a result of rearward travel of the slide 222. Projecting into an opening in the slide is the upper arm of a lever 322 fulcrumed upon the frame at 325 7), the lower extremity of which lever carries a roll 32;

lying within a cam path 326 formed upon the face of a disk 328 fixed upon the shaft 60. The forward thrust of the lever upon the slideis cushioned by its contact with a plunger 330 backed by a spring 332 (Fig. 9), the movement of the slide forwardly, under the influence of the lever upon the plunger, being limited by a screw 334 threaded through a lateral projection from the rear of the slide and contacting with the frame. By altering the position of this screw, the point at which the forward button and staple are presented over the guideway 215 may be varied. The extent of rearward travel of the slide from the extreme forward point is determined by the position of the screw 336 threaded horizontally through the rear end of the slide, and receiving the thrust of the lever 322 as it acts to cause the travel of the slide from the button and staple-presenting position. A locknut 337 serves to hold the screw as adjusted. As the cam path 326 is designed,

back by a cam rotation of 12% degrees, drawing the mounting strip free from the shutter-retained button and staple. This relation is retained until the end of the cycle.

In absence of means for preventing it,

there would. be a tendency for the movement of the slide rearwardly to draw the slack from the upper run of the strip upon the support, leaving it still in engagement with the button and staple. this action, there extends horizontally along the slide, it being movable independently upon it, a bar 338 (Figs. 4, 9, 10 and 11) having at its forward end a pair of reduced portions 340 situated beneath opposite edges of the holder-strip and provided at their upper sides with strip-engaging projections 342. Opposite these upper projections there are depending projections 344 entering slots in the slide 222, at the forward sides of which slots are cam surfaces 3&6. The rear of the bar 338 has a horizontal slot, through which passes a headed pin 34.8 projecting horizontally from the side of a bracket 350 rising from the frame. Between the head of the pin and bar 338 and between said bar and the bracket are washers 352, 352, which may be of some such material as fiber, forced into frictional engagement with the bar. Upon the rearward movement of the slide to separate the strip from the button and staple about to enter the guide-way 215, the friction of the washers 352 holds the bar 338 against movement. This causes the cam surfaces 346 to travel beneath the ends of" the bar portions 344, forcing them upwardly until their projections 342 strike the holderstrip and force it against a surface 354- upon a wall of the slide overhanging the feedrolls. Having thus grasped the strip, dur ing the further movement of the slide the friction between the bar 338 and the wash-- ers 352 slips, so that the slide and bar re treat together. The strip being thus held, the tension upon the forward. loop which surrounds the feed-roll 228 is maintained, and it is positively separated from the hut-- ton and staple at a" (Fig. 19). Upon reverse movement of the slide when the succeeding button has been fed by the rolls and is presented to the guide-way 215, the contact projections 342 are first lowered out of engagement with the strip to permit its feed. and then, when the lower projections 344 are brought to their extreme downward position in their slots, the friction slips as before to allow the full forward movement of the slide.

Since at the beginning of a cycle of operations the jaw 134 and 138 are closed upon the work and the feed at once starts, it is necessary, in connection with the attachment of the first button, to open the jaws for the admission of the work and to render the feed ineffective. The normal opening be To guard against iii" tween the anvil and abutment 30 is also too narrow for the ready admission of the worm, so that it is at the same time desired to lower said anvil. Mounted to slide in ways in the lower portion of the base is a bar 356 (Figs. 2, 5 and 25) connected, by a cord or other flexible member 358 passing over a guide-roll 360, to a treadle or knee lever (not illustrated). Extending vertically through the bar 356 are two openings 362 and 364, and at one side of the bar is a cam surface 366. Into the opening 362 of the bar projects the rounded end of an arm 368 of the lever 92. When the bar is shifted by its operating member in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 25 of the drawings, the end of the opening 362 bearing against the arm 368 lowers the other arm of the lever 92, drawing the anvil away from the abut ment 30 for a substantial distance. The presence of the slot-and-pin connection 9'? between the connecting rod 96 and the lever 98 allows this movement without producing interference with the connections to the cam 104. The length of the opening 362 longitudinally of the bar allows for the movement of the anvil under the influence of the cam mechanism. The opening 364 receives the rounded lower extremity of an arm of a hell-crank lever 370 fulcrumed at 372 upon the frame, the upper arm of this lever extending beneath a plunger 374 arranged to slide vertically in the frame. The upper end of the plunger is located beneath and in normal contact with the guide-way 148 of the lever 150, which controls the movable jaw 134. Travel of the bar 356, as produced by its governing element, acting upon the lever 3T0 raises the plunger 374 and swings the arm 144 fixed to the shaft 132 upwardly to separate the jaw 134 from the fixed jaw 138. The yieldable connection between the sections of the rod 154 provides for this treadle-controlled movement without interference with the cam mechanism for actuating the jaw. When movement is produced by the cam, the guide-way 148 travels away from the plunger 374, so that the cam actuation is not disturbed by the presence of the treadle-controlled elements. Sliding horizontally in the frame beside the bar 356 is a plunger 376 contacting at its outer e):- tremity with the end of a lever 378, fulcrumed at 380 upon a bracket rising from the lower portion of the base. The upper arm of the lever contacts withthe end of the spindle 210, which. it will be remem hered, carries the pin 214 connecting the cam for actuating the work-feeding parts with the gearing that drives it. A. spring 382 bears against the opposite end of the spindle 210 and against a screw 384 threaded through the center of a cap 381, fixed upon the frame to cover and give access to this portion of the mechanism. By changing the position of this screw, the expansive force exerted by the spring upon the spindle may be altered. beneath the plunger 376, it swings the lever 31 8 about its fulcrum to move the upper end to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, or to the left, as seen in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

This, acting upon the spindle 210, carries the pin 214 out of the opening in the cam 198, so that its rotation under the influence of the gear 202 ceases, and the bodily move ment of the jaws 134 and 138 stops, as does the feed of the work. It will therefore be seen that the actuation of the bar 356 simultaneously lowers the anvil, opens the workengaging jaws and prevents the feeding action of said jaws, so that the work may he introduced into the machine, and the first button set at a point determined by the operator. To hold the spindle 210 in its shifted position independently of the lever 3Y8, so that'the operator may release the bar 356 before the end of the first cycle, a pawl 383 (Fig. 4), pivoted upon the frame, drops into a groove 385 (Fig. 6) in the spindle, locking it against longitudinal movement with the pin 214 out of the opening in the cam Contacting with this pawl is a cam 389 on the spindle 210. At the completion of the cycle, the portion of this cam of maximum diameter engages the pawl and lifts it from the groove, so that the spring 382 may restore the spindle to normal, bringing the pin 214 again into engagement with the cam 198.

If it is desired to stop the automatic feed of the work for a considerable time, as when single buttons are to be attached to separate work pieces, the lever 378 may be actuated by a hand lever 386 (Figs. 2 and 5), which provides for the ma ntaining out of operation of the work feed without continued effort on the part of the operator. To bring this about. the lever 386, which is fulcrumed at 38? upon the bracket carrying the fulcrum 380 of the lever 378, has a cam 388 provided with a flattened portion 390. Against this flattened portion ofthe cam the outer edge of the lever 378 normally rests, this being the position in which the engagement of the pin 214 with the cam 198 is permitted. When the lever 386 is turned upwardly (Fig. the portion of the cam of. greater diameter bears against the lever 378, moving the spindle 210 until the pin 214 When the cam surface 366 rides lOO is withdrawn from the cam opening and the work feed stops, this condition continu ing until the lever 386 is restored to its normal position.

To outline generally the operation of the machine, the operator adjusts the wheel 182 to give such a feed of the workVV that the buttons B. when set, will be spaced thereon.

by thedesired distances, and moves the a rnr 290 to the extent necessaryto cause the feed rolls to advance the holder-strip in steps the length of which equals the spacing between the pairs of buttons B and staples S upon it. In beginning the attachement of the buttons to a piece of work, the operator actuates the bar 356 to lower the anvil 32, open the feed jaws 134 and 138 and stop the feeding movement. imparted to said jaws, and then, releasing the bar 356 and depressing the treadle connected with the rod 68, initiates the operation of the machine. The release of the bar permits the anvilv to move to its normal position and the jaws to close upon the 7 work. The worlclt'eeding mechanism, however, is held out of action for one cycle of operation. What occurs during the set- .ting of the button is best stated in connection with the second cycle, which is complete. At-thef beginning of this the driver bar 36 is-rising, the anvil is lowered. the feeding jaws are closed, and the feed of the work immediately begins. After the work has been advanced sur'ficiently to bring the point of attachment of the succeeding button over the anvil, the latter closes upon the work, and the wedge 116 moves beneath the anvil slide 82, locking it to receive the setting pressure. The feed jaws then free the work and are moved back to prepare for the next feeding step. During this period the feedroll 228 and the others associated with it 'advancethe holder-strip to bring a button to the top of the guide-way 215, the foremost buttons in this movement being tilted uniformly forward by the engagement of their eyes 7) with the teeth upon the bar 319, and the driver bar slide 34 having at this time begun its descent, the shutters 306 are allowed to close at the rear of the button. When thus held, the holder slide 222 is moved rearwardly, the strip is clamped by the projections 34:2, and the strip is with drawn from thebntton eye and staple, carrying with it, away from the guide-way, any loose strip-fragments which may have become detached in the operation. lVhen these have been freed in this manner, the driver. continuing its downward movement, engages the staple, carrying it through the guideway 215 until the legs of the staple penc trate the work and are clinched upon the block 40. To complete the cycle, the driver rises, separating the shutters, the anvil opens; the "jaws close upon the work in a position suitable to initiate the feed, and the paper teed slide is returned to normal.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

L In'a fastener-attaching machine. a movable attaching member, a tastener-holde-r movable to deliver fasteners directly into the path of the attaching member, and

means for causing the separation of the fasteners and holder.

2. In a fastenerhttaching machine, guide-way, an attaching member movable therein. a fastener-holder movable to deliver fasteners directly into the path of the attaching member in the guide-way. and movable means for causing the separation of the fasteners and holder.

3. In a. fastener-attaching machine. a guide-way, an attaching member mova iilr therein, a. flexible holder-strip upon which the fasteners are mounted in spaced relation. means for advancing the holder step by step to bring the fasteners succcssivclv into the path of the attaching member in the guide-way. and means movable from the guide-way for causing the separation of thc fasteners and holder.

4. In a 'lastenenattaching n'lachinc. supplying means organized to support a plurality oi Fasteners. prcsenting means arranged to receive the fasteners from th supplying means and to hold them one at 1. time. attaching means co-operating with the presenting means. and means for advancing the supplying means to deliver the fasteners to the presenting means In a. fastener-attaching machine. supplying means organized to support a plu-- rality of fasteners for successive delivery. presenting means arranged to receive the fasteners from the supplying means and to hold them one at a time. attaching means co-operating with the fasteners in the presenting means, and means for advancing the supplying means to deliver the fasteners one by one over the presenting means for ad vance by the attaching means through said 'n'csenting means.

6.111 a tastener-attaching machine. attaching means. fastener-supplying means arranged to hold fasteners in a series. a guide-way arranged to receive the fastener from the supplying means. means independ ent of the supplying means arranged to hold the tastencrs one at. a time in the guide-war to be acted upon by the attaching means. and means for positively advancing the en tire series in the supplying means t prc sent the terminal fastener to the ,truideway.

7. in a tastener-attaching machine. a movable attaching member. and fccding mechanism for the fasteners including o operating rotatable members one of which has its periphery in close proximity to the path of the attaching member.

8. ln fastener-attaching ma chine a movable attaching member. a fa stcnerholder, and feeding mechanism for the fasteners including a rotatable member con tacting with each side of the holder. one of said members having its periphery in close proximity to the path of the attaching member, said feeding mechanism being arranged loo to stop the holder with a fastener in the path of the attaching member.

9. In a fastener-attaching machine, an at caching member, a holder extending into proximity with the attaching member and arranged to carry fasteners and their respective co-operating securing devices in definitely spaced relation, and means for advancing the holder to deliver the securing devices one by one to the attaching member.

10. In a fastener-attaching machine, an attaching member, a flexible holder-strip ar ranged to carry a series of fasteners and their respective securing staples and upon which the staples extend into proximitywith the attaching member, and means for moving the holder-stripto deliver the staples to the attaching member.

11. In a fastener-attaching machine, aguide-way, an attaching member operating therein, a flexible holder-strip for fasteners, a guide-way for the fasteners upon the holder-strip, and means acting upon the holder-strip between the guide-ways for successively positioning the fasteners in the path of the attaching member.

12. In a fastener-attaching machine, a guide-way, an attaching member operating therein, a movable fastener-support eXtending into proximity with the guideavay, means for moving the support, andv means situated at the extremity of the support adjacent to the guide-way for moving the fasteners over the support.

13. In a fastener-attaching machine, a guide-way, an attaching member operating therein, a support extending into proximity with the guide-way and being movable toward and from the guide-way, a flexible holder-strip for fasteners movable over the support. and feeding means for the strip situated. at the extremity of the support adjacent to the path of the attaching member.

14. In a fastener-attaching machine, a guide-way. an attaching member movable therein, and fastener-feeding rolls situated adjacent to the guide-way and arranged to present the fasteners upon the periphery of one of the rolls in the path. of the attaching member.

15. In a machine for attaching buttons by meansof staples, a movable driving mem-v ber. a holder for buttons and staples assembled therewith. and means operable after each movement of the driving mcn'iber for moving the holder to bring a staple with its associated button directly into the path of the driving member. 7

16. In a machine for attaching buttons by means of staples, a movable driving member. a flexible holder-strip to receive buttons with associated staples in spaced relation. and means situated ad acent to the path of the driving member for drawing the strip toward the driving member and presenting the staples and buttons thereto.

In a machine for attaching buttons by means of staples, a movable driving member, a flexible holder-strip to receive buttons with associated staples in spaced rela tion, and a plurality of pairs of rolls between which the strip passes, one of said rolls having its periphery in close proximity to the path of the driving member.

In a fastener-attaching machine, attaching means, means movable toward the attaching means to supply buttons thereto, and means for producing opposite move ment of the supplying means to separate buttons from said supplying means.

19. In a fastener-attaching machine, attaching means, a support, a holder for fasteners movable over the support to supply said fasteners to the attaching means, and means for moving the support to separate the fasteners from the holder when said fasteners are in co-operation with the at taching means.

20. In a fastener-attaching machine, attaching means, a support, a holder for fasteners movable over the support to supply said fasteners to the attaching means, means for securing the holder against movement upon the support, and means for moving the support to separate the fasteners from the holder.

21. In a fastener-attaching machine, attaching means, a support, a holder for fas toners movable over the support to supply said fasteners to the attaching means, means for securing the holder against movement upon the support, and means for moving the support to separate the fasteners from the holder. the securing means being operable in the movement of the support.

In a fastener attaching machine, attaching means, a support, a holder for fasteners. means carried by the support for advancing the holder to supply fasteners to the attaching means, and means for clamping a portion of the holder to the support.

In a fastener attaching machine, attaching means, a support, a holder for fasteners, means carried by the support for advancing the holder to supply fasteners to the attaching means. means for clamping a portion of the holder to the support, and means for moving the support and clamped holder from the attaching means.

24. In a fastener-attaching machine, attaching means, a. flexible holder upon which the fasteners are mounted, means for advancing the holder to deliver a fastener to the attaching means. and means for withdrawing the holder to separate said holder from the delivered fastener.

In a fastener-attaching machine. a guide-Way. an attaching member movable therein, a flexible strip upon which the 

